Folding pigeonholes.



No. 680,45l. I Patented Aug. I3, l90l. M. S. B ROADT.

FOLDING PIGEONHOLES.

(Applies-tied 810d Sept. 21, 1900.

(No Model.)

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MORRIS S. BROADT, OF BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

VFOLDING APIGEONHOLES.

ePEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters F'atent No. 680,451, dated August 13, 1901.

Application filed September 21,1900. Serial No. 30,735. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, MORRIS S. BROADT,a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Folding Pigeonholes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pigeonholesin general, and more particularly to folding pigeonholes, the object of the invention being to provide a cheap and simple construction which may be readily set up and taken down and which will occupy a minimum of space when folded.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the partitions will assume their proper positions automatically and without in any manner interfering with the separation of the shelves, and, conversely, when the shelves are brought together will not prevent the shelves lying close together.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete set of pigeonholes in their unfolded position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the pigeonholes when folded. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation showing the manner of attaching the partitions to the shelves. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a strap or clip for holding the fabric partition to a shelf. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of pivoting and holding the spreaders to the bottom shelf. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing the upper end of one of the spreaders and the formation thereof to prevent disengagement thereof from the guideway with which it is engaged in practice.

Referring now to the drawings, the present pigeonholes comprise a pl nrality of shelves 5, of wood or other suitable material and all of which are of the same dimensions. The ends of the structure consist of pieces of fabric 6 and 7, the lengths of which are equal to the height of the complete structure and the widths of which are equal to the widths of the shelves, these fabric sections being tacked or otherwise secured against the ends of the shelves to hold them properly spaced and parallel. To hold the shelves spaced, spreaders are provided and consist of metallic bars 8 and 9, which are pivoted at their lower ends between cars 10 and 11 upon blocks 12,which are secured to the ends of the lowermost shelf and adjacent to the front edge thereof, said bars being held at times against pivotal movement by means of thumb-screws 13, which are engaged with the ears 10 and adapted to impinge the spreaders. These spreaders when in their operative positions form standards for supporting the upper shelf, from which the shelves therebelow are suspended. The upper ends of the spreaders are bent rearwardly, as shown at 14 and 15, to lie across the uppermost shelf 5, and the rear extremities thereof are bent downwardly and pivoted to the rear edge ofthe bottom shelf, the end portion 14 lying upon the surface of the uppermost shelf and with its downtnrned extremity against the rear edge thereof, and above the end portion 14 are disposed rods 16 and 17, mounted in plates 18, secured to the ends of the uppermost shelf, these rods forming means for engagement of the portion 14 to hold the uppermost shelf spaced from the lowermost shelf and the shelves therebetween. Additional rods 19 and 20 are engaged with the plates 18 and lie parallel with rods 16 and 17, the portion 15 of the spreader 9 lying between the two series of rods and bearing against the uppermost series at the opposite end of the shelves from f the portion 14 to assist said portion 14 in holding the shelves properly spaced. It is of course understood that the intervening shelves are held in their proper positions by the end fabrics, and to further assist in supporting said shelves and also to form backs for the pigeonholes strips 21 are disposed vertically of the back of the structure and are attached to the rear edges of the shelves, as illustrated.

The partitions between the shelves consist of sections 23 of fabric, which are disposed vertically, the upper and lower edges thereof being turned laterally and disposed in channels 24 in the upper and lower faces of the shelves, said edges being held in the channels by means of metallic straps 25, which are disposed in the channels against the fabrics and flush with the surfaces of the shelves, each strap entirely encircling a shelf. The uppermost and lowermost shelves have the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the partitions attached to the lower and upper faces thereof by tacking or in any other suit able manner.

With this construction it will be seen that when the spreaders are moved to their up-' right positions their rear turned ends impinge the rods at the top of the structure and act to hold the several shelves properly spaced in connection with the different fabrics, after which the thumb-screws may be manipulated to impinge the lower ends of the spreaders and by preventing pivotal movement thereof hold them in their operative positions. The several sections of fabric are of such lengths that when the spreaders are erected they will be placed under tension to hold them more or less rigid. Conversely, after the thumb screws are loosened the spreaders may be pivotally moved to lower them, at which times the fabric sections collapse, as shown in Fig. 2, and the several shelves lie close together. It will be noted that when the structure is set up or unfolded the several shelves, With'the exception of the lowermost shelf, are suspended from the rear turned ends of the spreaders.

In practice various modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves, said shelves having fabric connections at their ends and additional fabric connections at points between their ends to form partitions, and supportingstandards pivoted upon the lowermost shelf to;fold and permit thefabric connections to collapse, and having connection with the uppermost shelf to support it when erect for holding the shelvesspaCed.

2. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves, said shelves having fabric connections at their ends and additional fabric connections at points between their ends, and supporting-standards connected with the uppermost and lowermost shelves for holding the shelves spaced, said standards being adapted to fold to permit the shelves to lie in close relation and collapse the fabric portions.

3. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves having fabric connections, and spreaders pivoted to a lower shelf and having slidable connections with an upper shelf to support the latter.

4. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves having flexible connections, and spreaders pivoted to a lower shelf and having slidable connections with an upper shelf to support the latter and adapted to fold against the lower shelf to permit the shelves to lie in close relation.

5. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves having flexible connections, spaced rods carried by an upper shelf and spreaders pivoted to a lower shelf and having their upper ends turned rearwardly and disposed against the under sides of their respective rods to support the rods and therewith the shelf to which they are connected.

6. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves having flexible connections, rods disposed longitudinally of and connected to an upper shelf and lying in different planes thereabove, spreaders pivoted to a lower shelf and having their upper ends bent rearwardly and lying against the under sides of their respective rods to hold the rods and therewith the shelf connected therewith, elevated, said spreaders being slidable with respect to the rods to permit movement of the shelves into close proximity, and means for holdingthe spreaders against pivotal movement.

7. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of shelves having grooved faces, fabric sections having edges disposed in said grooves,strapsengaged with said edges and lying in the grooves, and meansfor holding the shelves spaced.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

.MORRIS s. BROADT.

Witnesses:

A. W. DUY, WM. H. HIDLAY. 

